Back to the Start
Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to SM.
The Dream
Bella's dream took her into the forest.In the soft light and humid air, she found she could tune into the noises like they were an auditory jigsaw puzzle. The leaves of the enormous trees, towering so high above, blotting out any patch of light sent a frisson of excitement running through her. Their earthy aroma went right to her brain, intoxicating, rich. Then with a steady gaze, she began to wander.
It seemed that she roamed endlessly, with no end in sight, but the strange compulsion to continue drove her on.
Eventually, she noticed that the smell was different, and the light, too. It no longer smelled like the damp earth of the woods, but like the brine of the ocean. She still couldn't see the sky, still, it seemed like the sun must be shining-the leaves above had changed to a bright jade green.
And then Jacob was there. He grabbed her hand, pulling her back toward the blackest part of the forest.
"Jacob, what's wrong?" Bella asked, confused. His face was the frightened face of a boy, and his beautiful hair, swept back into a ponytail at the nape of his neck, shone midnight black. He yanked at her hand with all his strength, but Bella resisted. She didn't want to go into the dark.
"Run, Bella, you have to run!" He whispered, terrified.
"Tell me why first?" Bella cried; her heart was thumping madly in her chest with fear.
Suddenly she saw a halo of light coming toward them at a distance. Bella held up a hand to shield her eyes from its brightness. She squinted, trying to see through the haze, trying to make out the shape.
Jacob dropped her hand and yelped. Shaking and twitching, he fell to the ground at her feet.
"Jacob!" Bella screamed, but he was gone.
In his place was a monster-an enormous, red brown wolf, with dark intelligent eyes gazed back at her. The black-brown eyes of Jacob Black.
Bella bolted upright in bed, breathing raggedly, stifling the scream that was quickly building in her throat. She stared blankly at the ceiling above her, no longer able to sleep after such a terrifying nightmare. She buried her head in her pillows and pressed the cotton tight against her face. Slowly, she managed to slow her breathing down to an acceptable level. The last thing she wanted was for Charlie to come running into her room to check on her. She didn't want to explain that she'd suffered a bad dream like some stupid kid.
Once Bella had calmed down enough to think rationally, she tried to recall some of the finer details of the dream, but already the images were fading from her mind. All she remembered was that Jacob Black had played a prominent part…and there was some kind of strange light…and a wolf?
"I'm going crazy." Bella muttered under her breath as she flopped onto her back. "Me and my overactive imagination!" She sighed, knowing that she was going to struggle to get back to sleep again…and she had school in the morning.
Maybe she would take some Tylenol after all.
Bella got up and stumbled her way into the bathroom in the dark so as not to disturb Charlie. She grabbed three Tylenol and felt her way along the wall with her hands to guide her back to her bedroom.
The medication did help, soon Bella felt her eyes beginning to close, and she drifted off to sleep, occasionally mumbling Jacob's name. She was completely unaware of the shadowy figure settling back down in the darkest corner of her room.
The next day, when Bella arrived at school, she was pleased to note that the snow had washed away for good after that one dangerously icy day. Perhaps she would be able to get through the next few hours without being crushed to death by some out of control vehicle. It wasn't like Jacob was going to be around to save her this time.
There was one thing she wasn't looking forward to, though, and that was biology. It wasn't because she disliked the subject, it was because it was the one lesson where she had to share desk space with Edward Cullen. She groaned at the thought of having to endure a whole hour in his company.
As soon as she entered the classroom, Bella saw that he was already seated. Edward stared at her with a heated intensity as she approached, the same familiar edge of frustration shining in his eyes. Perhaps he was thinking about their last encounter from the day before, when she had essentially snapped his head off for daring to suggest she take some Tylenol.
Bella slid into her seat, feeling edgy under his intense scrutiny. She glared back at him, expecting him to look away quickly. But instead, he continued to stare at her openly. She curled her fists in her lap to try and curb her anger. His behavior was seriously beginning to freak her out.
"Mr. Cullen?" The teacher called sharply. "Stop staring at Bella and face the front."
Bella could have hugged Mr. Banner in that moment.
Almost.
She looked down at her book as soon as Edward's eyes released her, trying to find her place. In an effort to block Edward's view of her, just in case he got it into his head to stare at her again, Bella shifted her hair over her right shoulder to hide her face. Still, she couldn't help the pulsing heat rushing to her cheeks at his audacity. She was seriously considering begging Mr. Banner to let her swap seats with someone else.
Throughout the rest of the lesson, Bella did her best to concentrate on her work, ignoring Edward completely every time he tried to make eye contact again. She sighed with relief when the bell rang at last, quickly gathering her things so she could escape before he had a chance to engage her in conversation.
Too late!
"Bella." His velvet voice whispered her name.
Bella rolled her eyes heavenward as she kept her back to him. She pretended she hadn't heard him say her name. He had said it so quietly after all, perhaps she had actively imagined it.
No such luck!
"Bella." He said again, louder this time.
Bella turned slowly, unwillingly. She didn't want to have to look upon his too perfect face. She didn't want to have to endure the burning gaze of his eyes. She didn't want to listen to his stupid velvet voice. She just wanted him to leave her alone.
"What do you want?" Bella finally asked sourly.
Edward's expression was unreadable. "I wanted to ask how you are?"
Bella closed her eyes briefly and inhaled slowly through her nose, aware that she was gritting her teeth. He waited patiently for her answer.
"I am fine." She said through clenched teeth. "Thank you for asking. But I must really be going."
"I'll walk with you." Edward said politely.
"Maybe another time. I'm in a real hurry."
Edward's lips twitched at her feeble excuse. "I'm sure I can keep up. Can I carry your books for you?"
Bella turned sharply away from him, feeling aggravated. "I can carry my own books."
"Okay." Edward moved swiftly toward the door and held it open for her. "After you?"
Bella's eyes narrowed as she sailed past him. She meant to dramatically sweep out of the room, but of course the toe of her boot caught on the doorjamb and she dropped the books. She stood there for a few seconds, feeling the rush of heat to her face as her cheeks blazed with embarrassment. She had half a mind to leave the dumb books where they were, but Edward Cullen was already hunkered down, stacking them back up into a pile. He stood up and handed them to her, his face amused.
"Thank you." Bella said icily.
"You're welcome." He retorted. "I don't understand why you are being so hostile. I am simply trying to be your friend."
"I already have enough friends." Bella countered.
"Like Jacob Black?" Edward's face was hard.
Bella frowned, wondering why he was bringing Jacob's name into the conversation. Jacob didn't go to their school; they had never met. It didn't make sense for Edward to single him out and not, say, Mike Newton or Jessica Stanley or Angela Weber.
"Yes, I do count Jacob as one of my friends." She bit back. "He saved my life yesterday."
"I am aware." Edward murmured to himself, as if this knowledge displeased him. "Him being there, right at that moment, was an unexpected development that we didn't see coming."
Bella could barely understand his mumbled words. She was just desperate to escape. "Whatever." She said dismissively. "I have to go."
She didn't wait for him to answer and to her immense relief he didn't follow her.
It was a relief, as always, to leave. Bella almost ran to the truck, there were just so many people she wanted to avoid. Well maybe one in particular. The truck had only suffered minimal damage in the accident. She would have to replace the taillights, and if she'd had a real paint job, she would have touched that up.
Bella almost has a stroke when she rounded the corner and saw a tall, shadowy figure leaning against the side of her truck, angry that Edward Cullen was trying to force his company on her again. But on closer inspection, she saw that it was Jacob. The reassurance this knowledge brought Bella made her feel warm inside and her face broke out into the first genuine smile of the day.
"Hey, you, this is becoming a habit." She greeted him enthusiastically.
"Hi." Jacob returned her smile with a blinding one of his own. "Here let me help you." He took the stack of books Bella was holding and slung them none-too-gently in the bed of the truck.
"Thanks." Bella swung the driver's door open and shoved her bag along the bench seat. "So, did you just feel like slumming it with the pale faces today or are you really skipping school this time?"
"Neither." Jacob laughed, pointing to his bicycle which lay abandoned on the ground. "My last lesson was a study period, and so I thought I'd use the spare time to come and see how you were doing after yesterday." His expression turned serious. "Are you okay?"
Bella was touched by his concern. "I am."
"Really?"
"Honestly." Bella replied earnestly. "Thanks to your quick thinking I didn't even suffer a scratch."
Jacob lightened up again, grinning widely. "Yeah, I'm a regular superhero." He laughed.
Bella laughed along with him, enjoying the jokey banter. Jacob was so easy to get along with. "Well, as I'm still very much in your debt, perhaps I can start to pay some of it off by giving you a ride home."
Edward was just walking past the front of her truck, looking straight at them, his lips pressed tightly together when Bella made her offer. She noticed Jacob frown, his good mood vanishing instantly.
"What is that guy's problem?" He asked her.
"I have no idea." Bella said breezily. She was not going to let Edward freaking Cullen ruin her good mood. "Just ignore him."
"Right." Jacob muttered. He walked over to his bike and threw it in the bed of the truck, narrowly missing Bella's books.
"Hey, careful." She warned.
"Sorry." Jacob apologized, shamefaced.
Bella yanked the door wider and climbed into the truck, while Jacob ran around to the passenger side. As soon as he slammed his own door closed, she switched on the engine. It rumbled loudly to life. Through the windshield she could still see Edward Cullen, his strange amber eyes watchful as he gazed at the two of them.
Bella revved the engine deafeningly, signaling a warning as she reversed out into the aisle. The last thing she saw in her wing mirror was Edward, still standing frozen in place like a marble statue, until she turned a corner and he vanished.
A/N-thanks for reading!